You know, there’s a lot we don’t know about the story we heard this morning. What we do know is that all four of the gospels holds a version of the events, each with varying amounts of detail. It just so happens that the author of Luke decided to leave a great deal of information out. Here’s what we know: Simon, a Pharisee, has invited Jesus over for supper where an unknown woman arrives and drama ensues. We don’t know the woman’s name (which isn’t surprising), nothing about her history, where she’s come from and where she might be going. She comes in anonymously, and leaves the same way. Over the centuries, it has been assumed by biblical scholars and historians that this woman with the jar was a sex worker. Why they came to that assumption I am not sure, but there’s nothing in the text to support that hypothesis. What we are told is that she is a sinner, with Jesus pointing out that “her sins were many” but he offers no specifics. It does, however, suggest that this woman’s reputation precedes her for both Simon AND Jesus know who she is.
I want to unpack the word “sinner” here before we go on. For people in Jesus’ time, the word “sinner” “not only described someone who was morally deficient but was actually applied to anyone who was outside of the law.” This means the definition was very broad and overarching, including any person who was considered ritually unclean and therefore banned from participating in temple rituals. So “sinner” applied to people with visible disabilities and illness, slaves, people in debt, non Jewish folk, postpartum women, and well as regular old sinners like sex workers, thieves, and tax collectors.
Luke’s version of the story tells us that this woman had money, that she was bold enough to enter Simon’s home, and that she’s a wee bit stealthy. That’s not a lot to go on for a people who like having all the information about a story. How did she make her money? How did she know Jesus was going to be there? How on earth did she decide to show up uninvited to Simon’s house to anoint Jesus’ feet with perfume that was worth a year of wages and then wash his feet with her tears? Maybe this woman had had an interaction with Jesus at some point previously that had a powerful enough impact on her that she was willing to take a huge risk in order to show him how much he had impacted her life.
So many assumptions and guesses surrounding the woman… but surprisingly we do know what Simon thinks about all of this. In an odd literary twist, the author of Luke gives us insight into Simon’s thoughts as if a Biblical thought bubble appears over his head narrating his response to all of this just for the readers to see. Thought bubble one: “If Jesus was a prophet he would know what kind of woman this is who is touching his feet. He’d know that she’s a sinner.” There is judgment, disdain, some annoyance and wee bit of doubt all wrapped up in Simon’s thoughts. And these feelings are directed not at the woman but at Jesus. Suddenly this makes Simon’s motive for inviting Jesus over much clearer. Simon doesn’t give a hoot as to who the woman is or her story, he’s already passed judgment on her. He wants to know who Jesus is. Is this Jesus a prophet, a miracle workers, son of God, or if not, what is he?
While Simon is pondering all of this, attention in the story turns back to the women who lies weeping at Jesus’ feet. Are her tears ones of relief, or sorrow, or regret, or gratitude? No hint is given to us on this side of the page. We can only assume which says more about our own state of mind than hers. All we can really do is witness her unexpected, extravagant display of emotion and accept it for, as Jesus describes it, an act of great love.
We all know that there are lots of ways we show our love to the people around us, and defining our love language is kind of trendy these days… perhaps you show love through giving gifts, or acts of service, or a long hug, or you are one of those who folk who simply tell others how you feel. When it comes to showing our love for God, things can become a little tricky. Some of us struggle with how to do that… do we show our love through our offering, our service, or prayers. There’s not too many of us that would show our love by throwing ourselves on the sanctuary floor and weep. And yet, our unnamed woman does just that. She performs an extreme act of public devotion, messy and very human, hated by Simon and loved by Jesus.
Weeks or even months before Jesus joins Simon at his house for dinner, Jesus stood in the synagogue in Jerusalem, his home town. He was invited to read from the book of the prophet Isaiah. Standing there, in front of the temple leaders and the people who had all known him since he was a boy, he unrolled the scroll and read: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. God has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of God’s favour.” Then he rolled up the scroll, returned it and sat down, all while being watched by all gathered. And Jesus said, “today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” The gathered crowd, upon hearing these words, got really, really mad.
That anger blinded the people to the good news that Jesus was sharing with them. I suppose anger has a way of doing that, blinding us to the good that surrounds us. He was telling the people at the temple that he was there to bring them good news, not more rules or judgments, no self righteous contempt or divine consequences, just the good news of God’s kingdom. Maybe the woman anointing Jesus’ feet was in the crowd that day. Maybe she’s the only one who heard what Jesus was trying to say and actually understood the message he was sharing. Whatever she had been carrying, whatever sin she had been rightly or wrongly accused of, dissolved with the good news Jesus shared. So in gratitude and love, she tosses all caution to the wind and literally pours out her soul at Jesus’ feet and opened herself to the healing power of unconditional love… the embodiment of God’s love for her and her love for God and Jesus.
May Williams wrote: “In the Gospel of Luke, she came to Jesus broken. Not polished, not perfect, and knelt at His feet; with nothing but tears and an alabaster box. Some days, I am her. Some days I feel cracked open by life. Carrying what I wish I could hide. Feeling the weight of my flaws, aware of my need. But knowing He loves me. Knowing His mercy still reaches for me. Knowing I am not turned away, I still come. I break what is precious. I pour out what I’ve been holding just to hear Him say, “’Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’”
It just takes my breath away because I know that for the most part we tend to be more like Simon in our faith. Jesus is invited to the table in hopes that he will do or say something that proves he is able to live up to reputation and expectation. But what if we were more like the woman? We being bold enough to hunt Jesus down and lay it all out… to break ourselves open in the most gloriously spiritually messy cry we could muster all the while trusting that the good news of this story is that God doesn’t look away when things are messy.
God didn’t look away from Simon. God didn’t look away from the woman. God does not look away from us. There is nothing hidden in this relationship. Each of us learns this truth in our own time – when we understand that we are seen which can feel both terrifying and life giving. The whole point of the gospel is to point us toward good news and good news no matter how challenging it may be, is meant to be liberating, causing us to rejoice.
In a few weeks, Jesus will gather with his friends, a mix of well meaning, but seemingly dim witted disciples, to share a meal. Before they eat, Jesus will get up and wash the feet of each of the folk gathered, and they will hate it, Jesus will love it. I can’t help but picture him offering a wink to the woman who had carried the albastar jar, who I like to think got invited to the meal, as if to thank her for giving him the idea. And then he will give those gathered a new commandment to love – to love each other just as he has loved them. To love with a love that is extravagant, unconditional, never looks away from the messiness of us, and that always makes room for grace and peace.
This is the faith we have been gifted, this is the faith that joins us together, this is the Good News shared by Jesus. Thanks be to God. Amen.
